Advantages

Disadvantages

Be prepared to cut your legs and not your hair with these poor quality razors.

We keep a pack of ladies disposable razors in the bathroom cupboard as both myself and my two daughters use them to shave our under arms and legs, so we get through quite a few. I've been trying to save a little money, so decided to try an own brand rather than Wilkinson Sword razors that would normally be my preference.

On the shelf in Tesco were their value razors and then this pack of 5 Gentle Glide razors which were priced at £1.00. I was wary of going too cheap and chose these over the value ones as not only did the price seem good, but they had swivel heads, which always makes me feel safer, and the packaging also looked more impressive.

The pink packet has the Tesco logo and a photo of the razor with an arrow indicating the swivel head. It advises that the razors have twin blades, a long handle, and a lubricating strip with vitamin E and is suitable for sensitive skin. This is repeated on the rear, along with the promise that they are designed to deliver a closer shave. They also have an easy wash through system to prevent clogging of the razor. Normal warnings are given to keep out of reach of children and to not wipe the blades as performance will be reduced.This all sounded just right for what I needed, so I was very happy to add them to my trolley and they have now made an appearance in our bathroom - they may soon be making a one way trip to the bin though as they really don't live up to the promises on the packet.

**Appearance**

The razors are white with a square handle which has a ridged pattern edged on it. The end of the handle is rounded, but I see no evidence of the handle being extra long; at 9cm it appears much the same as any other razor that I have used. The head of the razor seems an average size with the blade measuring 3.5cm across. Above the double blade is a turquoise coloured strip which has a slight texture to it and feels quite slippery on a new razor - the vitamin E lubricating strip. However, on one that has seen contact with my legs and armpits a couple of times this layer is wearing away and pieces of the surface have pulled off and it certainly doesn't feel that it glides or lubricates well. The head does swivel as promised. Protecting the head is a turquoise coloured case that slides easily over the side of the head and clicks into place securely.

**Put to the test**

I wasn't really paying attention the first time that I used one of these razors; I just got stuck into the task in hand as I have a million and one times before, in a well practised technique. Big mistake! I can't remember when I last cut myself shaving my legs, but I managed to gouge a chunk out of my knee, large enough that two weeks later the scab was only just going. I've since been ultra cautious and have really taken my time shaving but still managed another gouge and one time I ended up with little red pin pricks of blood on my skin, where tiny cuts had been left and I did nick my ankle once too. My daughter has also confirmed that she has to be very tentative when using these, although and has also managed to cut herself.

I often find that razors clog, especially if I've left a bit too long between shavings and there is no exception with these, despite the 'easy wash through system'. I rarely make more than 2 or 3 strokes between rinsing the razor under the shower and have only used these on very short hair growth, but I cannot get all of the hair out. They clog between the two blades and under the bottom one and this obviously affects performance. After just three uses I've had to throw one away, so this really does reduce the point of having paid less in the first place, as my previous razors have lasted much longer.

I find that the effort involved in shaving my legs is increased as well. Not only do I have to concentrate more and take longer, but I've had to complete the tiresome process more often. When I have completed shaving, if I run my hand over my skin I can feel a roughness which indicates that the cut has not been very low and subsequently the hair appears long enough to need shaving again more quickly. In winter I tend to leave things longer as my legs are covered, but after four days I've felt like I've got to do the job again, which is quite a bit more frequent than my normal winter shaving. My armpits need even more regular attention as otherwise I don't feel that the freshness of deodorant lasts as long. I have always found that a good layer of well lathered soap has been sufficient to allow a razor to run smoothly over my skin, but I suspect a more expensive shaving gel may be needed to enhance the process when using these.

My final gripe with the gentle glides is that my legs feel quite itchy after shaving. I usually do add some moisturiser to my skin after shaving, but my legs are crying out for this as soon as I leave the shower now and I apply a more plentiful amount of cream to make them feel comfortable that I usually would.

**To sum up**

All in all this has not been a positive purchase. They're not so bad that I won't use the rest of the pack a few times each, but I can't wait for them to be gone and to be able to return to something of a better quality. With only two stars, given for their price and not effectiveness, I can't recommend them and I feel that the promises made on the packet are not true, unless maybe they are only comparing them to their even cheaper value brand. They really weren't worth the economising as they don't last and require more shaving gel and moisturiser to counteract their poor performance.